PC Gaming Doom & Gloom Thread

[novasatori]

ATI released the HD2900XT which is better than or equal to a 8800GTX is it not?
and I don't know but I thought the 8x00 series cards were phenomenal in terms of performance compared to prior generation
I dont think there have been good pc titles in a long time, I've always just thought of them as a way to pass time on a device I need anyways for doing work anyways

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: PC Surgeon
Call of Duty 4 will be out for PC. Tad more research maybe?

As well, Civilization V will be coming in the near future.

 

[KeithTalent]

For some reason I just can't play sinlge-player campaigns anymore. The last one I played and enjoyed was COD2, everything else I have tried (FEAR, Q4, STALKER, and other I can't remember) all bored the crap out of me.

Do I think PC gaming is dying though? No, definitely not and it actually appears to be stronger than ever with all of the great releases that should be out within the next year. I just hope they can all live up to the hype.

KT

 

[Polish3d]

Originally posted by: novasatori
ATI released the HD2900XT which is better than or equal to a 8800GTX is it not?

No, it's inferior to GTX and arguably GTS 640

 

[Hacp]

As long as parents think that computers are educational tools, there will always be PC games.

 

[KeithTalent]

LMAO you lost me at "deathnail" :laugh:

KT

 

[cheapherk]

Back when I was in school, they told us everything would be metric (btw- it isn't). I wasn't worried then, and I'm not worried about the end of PC Gaming either.

 

[AdamK47]

I would just like to say... death knell.

 

[PepePeru]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
LMAO you lost me at "deathnail" :laugh:

KT

lol, same here.

OP the correct phrase is 'death knell'

 

[CP5670]

I agree with some of your points, but there have been something like five threads here on this same issue in the last week.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: RussianSensation
Has anyone here had a chance to play the demo of Ace Combat 6 on Xbox 360? The graphics are unreal. To run something that good on a PC you'd need at minimum an 8800GTX which by itself costs $500 US. Cost of having a PC capable to play games in full glory is the real threat for PC gaming. This is exactly what forces people to consider consoles which offer great graphics for the $ and require no upgrades whatsoever. Also PC gaming isn't for a novice -- there are driver issues and OS issues.

Also, it's hard for many to accept this but playing a game on a 42 inch 1024x768 plasma is FAR more immersive than playing the same game on a 19 inch LCD at 1280x1024. Since most people already have a TV at home, the cost of owning a console is rather cheap. How many people own PCs with 30-40 inch monitors?

Having said that, while the majority might be lured by consoles for these very reasons, some people will still continue to pay more $ to play their favourite genres (FPS, strategy, Massively multiplayer games, etc.) in which PCs have always held the edge. It certainly will not pass consoles for adoption rate but it won't die as long as there is a niche market to support it.

the one thing you forget is that the INITIAL cost of a console may be low but the games sure aren't ... at least $10 more for a comparable console title ... and they drop way more slowly to bargain bin

if you only play 20 games a year [20 x5 years x $10] ... you will spend at least $1,000 more for console games then PC games over its five year life. ... probably closer to $1500 more or $2,000 for your console and games [never mind the accessories or Big TV]. And a console only looks as good as the PC for the first 1/5th to 2/5ths of it's life ... it's all downhill for the console after day one

un-upgradeable and overpriced games that have no mods ... yep, that IS the PC wannabe ... and quite a few PC gamers also output their games to a 42" Big Screen if they like it.

 

[danEboy83]

Originally posted by: Sniper82
I could be wrong but I really started gaming hard on PC back in 96-97. Even back then I don't remember quality gaming getting pumped out any faster than they do today. So I don't think its changed much in the past 10 years. Seems we have always only seen 2-4 quality titles in a year and a few barely playable ones.

i'm with sniper on this, i started heavy PC gaming with counter-strike back in 99, the trend with PC gaming is all about playing the "IT" game at the time. As for any other game you're going to have close knit communities of a 500 or so people keeping good games alive.

 

[BladeVenom]

Please not another one of these stupid "PC gaming is dying," threads. How on earth could you miss the other 1,000 that have been posted? I think the only thing that is dying is you brain cells.

 

[Polish3d]

Originally posted by: CKent

Originally posted by: Raduque

Originally posted by: CKent
Price? I just built a blazing new PC for $475.

Was that an entirely new PC including everything, or did you just buy a new motherboard, CPU and videocard? And if you did a whole new PC from scratch, what resolution is it capable of playing in with high details on modern games?

CPU, MB, RAM & video. Just as most console owners already own a TV, I already owned a case & psu, sound card, optical drives, etc. I haven't played a game I can't run with max eye candy yet in 1680x1050 wide (1950xt).


I watch TV on my PC with a $40 tuner card, and can record if I want. I can hook my PC's output up to a TV if I want. Get with the times.

Wrong guy

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: Ichigo
All modern consoles excluding Wii have the ability to connect to computer monitors. Did you guys forget or did ignoring the facts seem attractive?

Why wouldn't they? They're rudimentary computers, after all.

Also, the computer that was listed for ~$600 does not include speakers, a mouse, a keyboard, and an optical drive. Yes these can be had for rather cheap, but considering the amount of people in the peripheral forum talking about $50 mice, these things can't just be omitted.

By that logic you have to figure in the cost of your TV with a console. And let's not forget the premium on games.

Also, I'd like to see how well that computer runs Rainbow 6: Vegas at "maximum settings".

Don't have it, I've heard it's a doozie. Luckily with PCs you can adjust settings to deal with a wider variety of circumstances and preferences. Upper end PCs are already getting faster than consoles and in a year they'll be cheap PCs.

There's a place for PC's and consoles, but the argument of price/ease of use goes to the console every time.

The place for consoles is in the garbage or in the home of someone who, for whatever bizarre reason, doesn't own a PC.

 

[erikistired]

pc gaming will probably never die, but it's certainly a shadow of what it was. who wants to deal with buggy drivers and having to buy a $600 video card every other year? and please save your "my 109 video card plays games fine". yeah okay, i like playing native res on my 20" widescreen. your cheap system will not do that with details turned up, so don't bother. can you technically play games? sure. does it technically look like crap? yes.

i mothballed my pc, bought a laptop to do work on and started putting more time into my xbox. do i miss the keyboard and mouse? sure, sometimes. but it's less and less these days. for the same cost as my video card i have a system i don't have to worry about upgrading, don't have to worry about drivers. if it breaks in a year? still cheaper to buy a new one (core system baby, i have all the upgrades) than upgrade a few pieces of my pc to keep up with the curve, which unfortunately still doesn't compete with my console.

sad but true. if you want to play WoW or whatever MMO of the week is trying to compete, enjoy. if not, buy a console. i'm looking forward to CoD 4.

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: Frackal

Originally posted by: CKent

Originally posted by: Raduque

Originally posted by: CKent
Price? I just built a blazing new PC for $475.

Was that an entirely new PC including everything, or did you just buy a new motherboard, CPU and videocard? And if you did a whole new PC from scratch, what resolution is it capable of playing in with high details on modern games?

CPU, MB, RAM & video. Just as most console owners already own a TV, I already owned a case & psu, sound card, optical drives, etc. I haven't played a game I can't run with max eye candy yet in 1680x1050 wide (1950xt).

)

'I watch TV on my PC with a $40 tuner card, and can record if I want. I can hook my PC's output up to a TV if I want. Get with the times.'

Wrong guy

Sorry about that. I've been quoted so much now I don't think it's woth it editing, but if it's an issue I will.

 

[gchanjam]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
It's all about the money.

Microsoft stopped pushing the DirectX 10 for the PC because they were going after the Playstation 3 money.

Nintenendo spoiled the both Microsoft and Sony's plot by having the underdog machine become a hit.

Bottom line is that the PC platform became the bastard child because they thought there would be more money elsewhere.

What this clearly shows is the collusion by the giant corporations that do not have the interest of progress or the consumer in mind but strictly profits at the expense of a working product and compatibility.

We used to have laws against this kind of deception and fraud but the corporations own the government now.

The whole thing is sad.

What? Because companies move their focus to the much more profitable arena of console games it's collusion and fraud?

 

[mnikkel55]

Christ people, it's a f***ing cycle. Consoles get a surge of popularity at the beginning of every new generation and PC's get a surge of popularity at the end of every console generation. It's been going that way for the last 20 years and all that time people keep spewing the same crap about how the console/PC is on its last legs. Those people haven't been right for two decades and they aren't right now. Neither platform is dying, neither platform is 'winning'. Why would anyone want them to? Have the last two decades of gaming been so awful that the system as it is really needs to change?

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven

Originally posted by: G Wizard

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
LMAO you lost me at "deathnail" :laugh:

KT

lol, same here.

OP the correct phrase is 'death knell'

"The knell in the coffin!"

 

[Pacemaker]

Originally posted by: Karsten
The influence of the console on game development is one source of much crap that we will see from here on out. Or already have seen. Cheap, quick and dirty ports. Great, now I only have to play 20 bucks for crap.

I am with you guys. I have seen these posts before myself and didn't give them much credance. That is why I tried to point out that ALL of the things I pointed out are working together to make for a bad combination for PC gaming.

Don't buy ports. I don't and I'm happier for it. There are a few quality PC game companies still out there and to me the experience I get on a PC is usually the better single player/online experience. Now if I have a few friends over I fire up a console. There is a place for both this is not a zero sum game. If all game developers decided to only make games for consoles tomorrow then the day after that there would be several new companies who started developing for the PC because there is a market there.

That being said you may not like the direction that PC games are moving to (mostly MMORPGs, FPSs, and RTSs), but that doesn't mean the whole PC game industry is dieing. As I stated earlier as long as there are PCs people will make games for them.

 

[Fenixgoon]

#1 - PC's have been getting cheaper, while consoles more expensive. i can build a $600 gaming machine with ease.

#2 - WTF watches g4? it's terrible programming all around, unless you enjoy cops (which my brother does)

#3 - DAAMIT might be in a slump right now, but I have no doubt they will pull things back together....eventually.


#4 - yes, EA sucks. Blizzard has been doing fine. WoW has more players than owners of consoles (or something like that0. Small studios will be the ones pushing innovation - Crytek, Flagship, etc.

#5 - GFW also sucks, and I don't think it's a necessary service by any means. DX10 will hopefully improve code efficiency in games, but I don't expect it to be a "savior" by any means - I'll leave that to devs who make quality games.

 

[Oyeve]

I agree with the ATI part. AMD killed ATI just by buying it. I refuse to pay premium moola on a new card. We need more competition in that area. I also agree that MS if full of crap. Why make games Vista only? They are not even DX10 games! They are still DX9 and some have a DX10 patch. Its just an obvious ploy to get us to buy Vista. Yes, a KB and mouse/trackball would make me love GOW even more on my 360, I hate that one action button pretty much controls the game. MS needs to let loose the reigns on game developement to Vista and make games that work on XP and Vista. PC gaming is far from dead. If it dies it will be us. the gamers, that kill it. How? By NOT buying PC games and only buying console games. If a game is released on many platforms I buy the PC version if available. The PC has always been my gaming preference. WE, the consumers, control the market. We are the ones who call the shots. if you feel PC gaming is dying then it is because YOU are killing it! DONT buy console games, by only PC games. Make a change. Down with the man, blah blah blah.

We just need good games. NFS series is still kicking on the PC. COD series is still kicking on the PC, EA Sports is still kicking on the PC. Maybe we should all become programmers and make our own PC games.

 

[Noema]

Originally posted by: Engraver
Consoles will eventually have full mouse and keyboard support, and most likely peripheral support for printers and such. Then maybe some time after that, they'll make interchangeable hardware modules for consoles, to increase graphic and processing power. If things end up like that, you may even have to put your console on a desk just so your mouse, keyboard, and peripherals are within reach. Now that I think of it this setup sounds rather familiar...

While I agree that consoles will offer even more PC-like functionality in the future, I disagree about the bolded part.

The strenght of a console, and what makes it so attractive for both consumers and developers is the fact that all of them are the same. All xbox 360s and PS3es are essentially the same (different models notwithstanding; the differences are mainly just HDD size and that doesn't impact performancE). Since the developer can safely assume that all 360s have the same CPU and GPU hardware, a level of optimization can be achieved that would be impossible on PC with its myriad hardware configurations, and thick HAL to ensure compatibility. A 8800GTX is exponentially more powerful than the 360GPU, which is essentially a X1800XT, yet games on 360 look much, much better than what a X1800XT on a PC would be able to pump out.

Remember how the original X-Box was to have swappable hardware to make it more powerful over time? There's a reason why that didn't happen.

 

[Looney]

That's a lot of typing and blabbering about the exact same thing that have been repeated for the past 10+ years... and PC gaming is still as strong as ever.